Display device



March 20, 1962 c. R. MITCHELL DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 29, 1959 Char/es R M/ichd/ INVENTOR. /fMJ fil United States Patent 3,025,613 DISPLAY DEWQE Qharles R. Mitchell, Tulsa, (lkla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to liiurtek, inc, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 2?, 1959, Ser. No. 830,284 6 Claims. (Cl. 35-49) The present invention relates to display devices, and more particularly to training panel assemblies for instruction or visual monitoring purposes in which a plurality of light sources such as electric lights indicate fluid flow systems, gas, electric circuitry, or traffic control or the like, as disclosed for example in co-pending application Serial No. 679,510, filed August 21, 1957, now Patent No. 2,952,079, for Training Panel Assembly, which application was filed by John M. Koch and has been assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The invention also relates to plate and strip assemblies and interconnections useful in the above and other environments. Y

In connection with the training panel assembly disclosed for example in the above-identified application, it is often necessary to use animated models of valves or switches or the like disposed on the front or visible side of the panel. It is necessary to drive these animated models by means of motors, switches, solenoids or other power means, and these power means must be mounted on the rear or hidden side of the panel and must be spaced from the rear of the panels so that they will not interfere with the lights mounted on the cells of the panel or in any way render the cells unuseable.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of display devices in connection with which mounting brackets may be employed which will not interfere with any of the functions of the display device.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of display devices employing mounting brackets which may be readily moved from place to place on the device as required.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of display devices having mounting brackets which are securely but detachably connected to the device.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide plate and strip assemblies by which a plate and a plurality of strips may be securely but detachably fixed in predetermined relationship to each other.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide display devices and plate and strip assemblies which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, reassemble, maintain, repair and modify, and be rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view from the rear of the panel of a display device according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side View of the invention taken through a collet;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a collet according to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an end view of a collet shank of the present invention as viewed from the front.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown a uniplanar translucent or light-penetrable panel 1. To the rear of panel 1 are secured a plurality of satasrs Patented Mar. 20, 1962 'ice strips 3 in intersecting relationship. Each of a plurality of strips 3 is parallel to a plurality of other strips 3, and each of a plurality of strips 3 intersects a plurality of other strips 3 in lines of intersection perpendicular to panel 1. On their sides opposite panel 1, strips 3 are bounded by exposed edges 5 which lie in a common plane parallel to a common plane in which their other longitudinal side edges lie, that is, the plane of panel 1. The construction of the display device as described thus far is recited in greater detail in the above mentioned copending application, to which reference is had so as to avoid the needless duplication-of disclosure.

Detachably secured to a number of the intersections between strips 3 are collets 7. Each collet 7 comprises an elongated shank 9 coaxial with the line of intersection of the intersection to which it is secured. Shank 9 has a portion 11 of reduced diameter and a portion 13 of enlarged diameter, the portions 11 and 13 being disposed respectively away from and toward panel 1. Portions 11 and 13 have generally cylindrical outer contours interconnected by an intermediate tapered outer contour which in the illustrated'embodiment is conical. Shank 9 extends on both sides of the common plane defined by exposed edges 5 of strips 3.

Shank 9 has a cylindrical central bore 15, so that shank 9 is generally tubular and has a reduced wall thickness in reduced portion 11 and a greater wall thickness in enlarged portion 13. A plurality of slots 17 extend from the end of shank 9 adjacent panel 1 the length of enlarged portion 13 and terminate in reduced portion 11. Thus, the fingers which remain between the slots have their least cross-sectional area adjacent the inner ends of the slots. Slots 17 are disposed at angles to each other which correspond to the angles at which strips 3 intersect. In the illustrated embodiment, strips 3 intersect at right angles, so that slots 17 are also disposed at right angles to each other in each shank 9,

as best seen in FIGURE 5.

A cylindrical sleeve 19 is mounted on shank 9 about reduced portion 11 and is slidable axially on shank 9. The end of sleeve 19 adjacent panel 1 is tapered radially inwardly toward the other end of sleeve 19 to provide a tapered interior surface for the end of sleeve 19 adjacent panel 1 which is complementary to the tapered sur face which interconnects the outer contours of portions 11 and 13 of shank 9. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the internal taper of the panel end of sleeve 19 is conical.

The end of shank 9 remote from the panel is externally screw threaded, and an internally screw threaded wing nut 21 is rotatable thereon for adjustment axially of shank 9. A bracket plate 23 is provided for the mounting of motors, solenoids, switches and the like for the actuation of the animated portions of the display device. Reduced portion 11 extends through one of a plurality of openings 25 through bracket plate 23, at least some of the other openings 25 through bracket plate 23 serving to accommodate rotary drive shafts and the like from the drive means to the animated displays.

Bracket plate 23 is perpendicular to the axis of shank 9 and to the lines of intersection of strips 3 and to the planes of strips 3. Bracket plate 23 is parallel to panel 1 and to the parallel planes in which the longitudinal side edges of strips 3 lie. Bracket plate 23 is spaced from the plane of exposed edges 5 a distance equal to the length of sleeve 19 and is releasably clamped between sleeve 19 and wing nut 21. Preferably, at least three collets 7 are provided for the mounting of each bracket plate 23, these being secured to difierent intersections of strips 3 out of line with each other as indicated in- FIGURE 4, that is, with their axes lying in no common In this way, the strongest and firmest support plane. for plate 23 is afforded.

In operation, shanks 9 are slipped over exposed edges with the edges disposed in slots 17 in the positions shown in FIGURES l and 2. Sleeves 19 are added to shanks 9 and bracket plate 23 is placed on shanks 9 with the shanks extending through openings 25. Wing nuts 21 are then screwed on the outer ends of shanks 9. Slots 17 are slightly wider than the thickness of exposed edges 5; and upon tightening wing nuts 21, shanks 9 will be drawn up into wing nuts 21. Sleeves 19 remain stationary with their panel ends against exposed edges 5 at the intersections. Thus, during tightening of wing nuts 21, the spacing between bracket plate 23 and exposed edges 5 remains constant; and this spacing can be selected as desired by selecting an appropriate length of sleeve 19.

As shanks 9 are drawn into wing nuts 21, the panel end of sleeve 19 coacts with the tapered external portion of shanks 9 to press the fingers between slots 17 together and into gripping engagement with strips 3 adjacent the intersection. Accordingly, during tightening of the collet assembly, shank 9 has axial movement and no other movement, wing nut 21 has rotary movement and no other movement, and everything else remainsstationary. When the collet assembly is fully tightened, shank 9 clamps strips 3 at the intersection in a three dimensional grip, that is, parallel to the line of intersection and along strips 3 in both directions. The panel end of sleeve 19 is forced against exposed edges 5 at a plurality of points spaced in a pluralit'y of directions from the line of inter section arid thus holds the tightened assembly firmly against wobbling. The devices to be mounted on bracket plate 23 may be secured thereto at any convenient time, certain of the openings 25 serving as openings to receive fastening members for securing these devices to plate 23.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, it

will be obvious that all of the initially recited objects 'of the present invention have been achieved. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection withpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. For example, instead of the rectangular configuration of the strips,-the strips 3 could be given a hexagonal or honeycomb configuration. In that case, the strips would intersect at trihedral angles with three angles of 120 each between the strips at the intersection. Shank 9 would then have three slots 17 correspondingly angularly related. Also, although the present invention has been disclosed in the environment of a display device, the plate and strip and collet assembly of the present invention is useful in a variety of other environments in which it is desired to join plates and strips together. These and other modifications and variations are con- 'sidered to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising a plane translucent panel, a plurality of strips secured in assembly with the panel on one side of and perpendicular to the panel, each of a first plurality of the strips intersecting a second plurality of said strips, a plurality of collets detachably secured to spaced and staggered intersections of the strips, and a bracket plate detachably secured to the collets and spaced from the strips parallel to the panel.

2. A display device comprising a plane translucent panel, a plurality of thin metal strips secured in assembly with the panel on one side of and perpendicular to the panel, each of the strips of a first group being parallel to and spaced from the other strips of said group and interconnected at an angle with each strip of a second group of strips, each of the strips of said second group being parallel to and spaced from the other strips of said second group, to form a plurality of spaced intersections of strips, a plurality of collets detachably secured to respective spaced and staggered intersections of the strips, and a bracket plate detachably secured to the collets, spaced from the strips and parallel to the panel.

3. A display device as claimed in claim 2, each collet comprising a shank having slots extending from one end part way to the other end, the slots being angularly related to each other as the strips at the associated intersection, the edges of the strips at the associated intersection being disposed in the slots, a sleeve slidable on the shank, said other end of the shank being screw threaded, and a nut on the screw threaded end of the shank, the shank extending through the bracket plate and the bracket plate being releasably clamped between the nut and one end of the sleeve.

4. A display device as claimed in claim 3, the other end of the sleeve bearing against the edges of the strips at the associated intersection.

5. A plate and strip assembly comprising a plurality of strips interconnected at an angle with each other to form a line of intersection, the longitudinal side edges of the strips on one side of the assembly of strips lying in a common plane perpendicular to said line of intersection, a collet detachably secured to the intersection of the strips, the collet comprising a shank coaxial with said line of intersection and extending on both sides of said common plane and having slots extending from one end part way to the other end, the slots being angularly related to each other as the strips at said intersection, the edges of the strips at the intersection being disposed in the slots, a sleeve slidable on the shank, said other end of the shank being screw threaded, a nut on the screw threaded end of the shank, a plate detachably mounted on the collet parallel to said common plane, the shank extending through the plate and the plate being releasably clamped between the nut and one end of the sleeve.

6. A display device assembly, including an arrangement for rigidly yet detachably mounting and carrying bulky apparatus upon the back of a cellular panel having a plurality of compartments formed by thin, flexible metal strips, comprising in combination: a solid plastic sheet panel having one or more translucent portions; a network of said thin strips secured to the rear side of said panel and arranged to define said plurality of compartments, each of said strips having a plurality of slots partially across its width, with the slots of each strip arranged to mesh with slots of other of said strips, the rearward edges of said strips arranged to lie in a plane parallel to and spaced rearwardly from the plane of said panel; a plurality of collets having slots arranged to allow each collet to seat on a respective pair of said strips at a respective intersection with the edges of said strips being disposed in said slotsof said collets; a sleeve slidable on the shank of each collet, the outer end of each collet being threaded to accommodate a nut so that tightening of each nut forces its sleeve on its respective collet, causing said collet to grip said strips at said intersection; and a bracket plate bolted on said collet between said nut and said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,619,818 Gowans Mar. 8, 1927 1,722,659 Clark July 30, 1929 2,033,376 Hanson et a1. Mar. 10, 1936 2,250,237 Schwartzkopf July 22, 1941 2,438,140 Auten Mar. 23, 1948 2,507,872 Unsinger May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,118,879 France Mar. 26, 1956 

